Friday July 17 2015  A DAY OF THANKS!

Why is July 17th a day of thanks?  I’ll tell you why.  Thirty six years ago today I gave birth to my son.  He was born two months early and things weren’t going so well.  He was transferred to another hospital to the NICU center.  His entire first year did not go too well.  But since we are celebrating his 36^th birthday you can conclude that he did survive.

Tonight when I hugged him I was so thankful that I have shared 37 celebrations of his life.  That he survived the first 24 hours was a great celebration!  We did not know if we would ever share another birthday with him.

As I hugged him I thought about the parents who this week lost an eleven year old son due to being run over by a car while he was riding his bicycle.  They only had 12 celebrations of his life.  I am so thankful for every day that my son has lived.  My heart so sad for all the birthdays the grieving parents will no longer experience.  Never take anyone you love for granted.  Every day is a gift.

Courtland and his family came over this evening for a birthday celebration dinner.  It is always a joy to have my family over so I can make food they like and share in the enjoyment of once again having my son at our dinner table.  On birthdays we like to tell stories about the birthday person.  It is a fun time and I always learn something new as I listen to the stories.  It is delightful to hear the stories that the three and seven year old tell.  The three year takes a story that someone else has told and enhances it quite a bit.  I think he even believes that what he says is true.  Tonight the seven year old told the story about his dad coming over and having dinner with us.  It was a very current story.

After the story time I asked each one to give Courtland wisdom they would like to share with him.  Dave went first and actually gave him the same wisdom I was going to share.  He told Courtland to never get too busy with all the things and hustle and bustle of life that he did not take time out to enjoy the everyday and ordinary things with his family.  He encouraged him to live in the moment.

So I had to come  up with something new.  My wisdom to Courtland was to not neglect his spiritual life.  To be certain he trained his boys in the way of the Lord and had them in church so it would become a way of life to them.  I told him to walk with integrity so that his sons would see his life walked out as a Christian Father.  I recommended that he walk the walk.

This morning on the way to the gym I stopped at a garage sale in my neighborhood.  It is a family I only know through our neighbor get-to-gathers.  The daughter just graduated and is going off to college.  I asked her what wisdom she had for others at this stage in her life.  Ashley’s wisdom was:  “Don’t sweat the small stuff”.  That may be a short sentence and one that we have heard many times over in our lifetimes but until you learn how to “not sweat the small stuff”  you don’t really understand how difficult it is to learn.  If more people could just learn that earlier I think the world would be a much friendlier place.  Thank you Ashley for your timely wisdom.  I pray that as you grow into full blown adulthood that you will remember these words of wisdom today and take them to heart.  You are already one step ahead of so many others in knowing this lesson of life.

 

DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

By Kathleen Martens

July 17, 2015

 

Sometimes it’s the little things

That turn into all the big.

Little misunderstandings

Cause us to dance a jig.

 

Maybe we should listen more

And really hear what is said,

And just sleep on what makes you mad

Instead of worry, just go to bed.

 

Think on what bothers you,

Mull it over in your mind.

In the morning speak your piece

With words that are kind.

 

Understand the other’s view

And listen as they explain

There are always two opinions

Do not hear their words in vain.

 

Give just thought to their beliefs

It will be different that’s for sure,

And when you do understand

Misunderstandings may be cured.

 

You will no longer suffer

From angry and malicious thoughts,

Because the small stuff is unimportant

In its struggle you’re no longer caught.

 

So…don’t sweat the small stuff

Place your focus on what is true.

Put your eyes on God alone,

Peace and joy will come to you.

 

Then the small stuff stays

Exactly where it should be.

Your spirit is no longer bound

By only what YOU see!

 

Well, I didn’t know that Ashley’s wisdom would by my inspiration for today’s poem.  And timely I think it was.  For you see, when I tried to publish this blog I did something incorrectly and lost everything except the poem.  I had to totally rewrite everything (except the poem).

It is late, Dave is asleep, so I will publish and go to bed.  Dave is slowly making strides toward healing.  I think he may have overtaxed himself today helping me do some things to prepare for tonight’s birthday celebration.  His leg is still painful and red.  His next appointment is Tuesday.  He is on oral drugs until then.  Please pray that healing will continue daily.

My first blog was quite a bit longer and more detailed.  Sorry for the “quick” version.

Good night and God bless you!